The Other Press – October 20

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Eastside & down

STAFF LIST Natalie Serafini Editor-in-Chief  editor@theotherpress.ca Eric Wilkins Assistant Editor  assistant@theotherpress.ca Angela Ho Business Manager Chris Paik Distribution Manager Cody Klyne Layout Manager Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager Mike Lemieux Production Assistant Ed Appleby Illustrator Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator NOW HIRING! Features Editor  editor@theotherpress.ca Angela Espinoza News Editor  news@theotherpress.ca Cheryl Minns Arts Editor  arts@theotherpress.ca Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor  lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor  opinions@theotherpress.ca Sharon Miki Humour Editor  humour@theotherpress.ca Staff Writers Brittney MacDonald Cazzy Lewchuk Mercedes Deutscher Senior Columnists Patrick Vaillancourt Jerrison Oracion Margaret Matthews Steven Cayer Andrea Arscott Contributors Julie Wright

T

he Downtown Eastside (DTES) has been in the news a lot, what with the tent city in Oppenheimer Park gradually becoming a thing of the past. The camp that originated in mid-July of this year has been hit with a series of eviction notices for months; a Supreme Court order from late September ruled that the more than 200 camp residents would have to depart by October 15 at 10 p.m., with risk of arrest if they stayed any later. While evicting people from what has become their home is complicated enough, the issue has become further convoluted with the finding of a dead body among the tents shortly before the eviction deadline. The deceased is not believed to have died through foul play, although an autopsy still needs to be performed.

Mayor Gregor Robertson gave his sympathies on the death, while remaining firm in his belief that the tents had to go: “[T]his tragedy certainly demonstrates why tent camps are not safe, why the city has had great concerns about this camp continuing to be there, and particularly the safety issues for elderly people.”

Clearly Robertson is very concerned with the well-being of residents of the DTES, as evidenced by his alleged voter suppression of the area in the upcoming municipal election.

As the Mainlander reports, there are only two advance voting stations east of Main Street, compared with five advance voting stations on the Westside.

It’s unfortunate that Mayor Robertson hasn’t put

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his advanced polling stations where his mouth is for the elderly, disabled, racialized, and impoverished communities that predominantly make up the DTES, and for whom he is ohso-concerned.

With the increasing discussions of how to help the residents of the Eastside, it’s questionable that the people in need of help themselves are being erased from the conversation. Two lonely poll stations don’t accurately represent the vastness of the Downtown Eastside—described in the City of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan from 2012 as spanning roughly 202 hectares.

This expanse is especially significant when you take into consideration that the residents are predominantly disadvantaged populations.

As DTES resident Fraser Stuart explained in an interview with the Georgia Straight, taking the bus to the stations isn’t financially possible for many people: “After a week and a half, your welfare or your pension money is gone … So to pony up another $2.75 to go and vote—that’s a luxury. That’s your food for the day, basically.”

Wendy Pedersen, organizer of Downtown Eastside Votes, further explains to the Mainlander that “The city must know that DTES residents can’t, even if they wanted to, get to Yaletown to vote. So many of them need extra time for the registration and voting process because of stringent ID requirements (no more vouching for people this time).”

Chief election officer Janice

MacKenzie told the Georgia Straight that they took into consideration accessibility via transit, and ensuring that they wouldn’t “grind programming to a halt at any location that we select” for the advance polling stations.

It’s bizarre that the DTES currently has fewer than half the advance polling stations that the Westside has. Vision Vancouver deputy campaign director Stepan Vdovine expressed his concern over the absence of DTES advance voting stations in a letter to MacKenzie. He further stated that “analysis of past voter turnout shows that these areas have a higher likelihood of voting than other parts of Vancouver.”

Although Mayor Robertson has proclaimed his goals for improving the lives of impoverished populations— including addressing housing and income gaps, and providing social services—the reality is that the conditions of DTES residents have not ameliorated.

While the City of Vancouver has spent its time “Reviewing; planning; getting feedback; [and] measuring results,” the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) has identified three key needs for the DTES residents. The organization, which is dedicated to helping “improve the lives of people who use illicit drugs,” listed these needs in an open letter: “housing, Indigenous land claims, and municipal services at Oppenheimer Park.”

Let’s take VANDU’s first point of housing as an example: the City of Vancouver recently announced its approval of

$1-billion dedicated to services throughout Vancouver; roughly $125-million of that is earmarked for affordable housing. The National Post reports that millions of dollars have been spent on single room occupancy hotels (SROs) over the years, and I imagine this will continue to be the case.

SROs sound ideal at first, offering temporary or long-term housing for those in need of help; yet a national study from 2013 indicated that the mortality rate of residents in SROs is five times the national average. This is in part because the help and services that the people need don’t accompany the provision of housing. SROs consequently become increasingly unsafe, as more people suffering from both mental and physical illnesses, as well as addictions, get shoved into the tiny accommodations: researcher William Honer of the UBC study on SROs states that residents might be in spaces of 3x3 metres. The health of SRO residents is often aggravated by this unhelpful help. It’s no wonder, as VANDU states in its open letter, that “campers are currently paying rent to live in SROs, but have chosen the healthier living conditions of Oppenheimer Park.”

These complex issues demonstrate why the voter suppression of the Downtown Eastside is so offensive, and concerning. Discouraging the DTES voters from voting, whether unintentional or “unintentional,” can only lead to the continued mistreatment of some of Vancouver’s mostvulnerable.

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This issue:

Have an idea for a story? Let us know!

 Welcome to the block party!

Contact: Angela Espinoza, News Editor

 Assisted suicide debate reopened in Canada

 news@theotherpress.ca

 Peter DeGroot shooting stirs controversy

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

Planners cancel Vancouver New Year’s Eve party

 Organizers say money raised wasn’t enough Patrick Vaillancourt Senior Columnist

T

he City of Vancouver planned to host a public New Year’s Eve bash for the first time in over two decades, but plans for a party to ring in 2015 have officially been halted.

News broke on October 9 that organizers had cancelled the event, citing that they were unable to raise enough money from sponsorships by their October 1 deadline.

The cancellation of the event comes in the midst of a municipal election campaign, and has put incumbent Mayor Gregor Robertson on the spot after he made headlines in December 2013 announcing that the city would have a “family-friendly event” to ring-in 2015. Robertson is currently seeking a third term as Vancouver mayor in the upcoming November 15 elections.

The Vancouver New Year’s Eve Celebration Society, the non-profit group tasked with raising the money and organizing the event, is now

looking toward putting on the event to ring in 2016.

“While we couldn’t pull the funding together in time for this year, we’re hopeful additional community and corporate supporters will come to the table with funding over the coming year,” said Charles Gauthier, chair of the society, in a public statement.

The event was to be held at Jack Poole Plaza, complete with musical acts, food trucks, the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, and a fireworks display.

The group managed to raise two-thirds of the money required to go ahead with the party, but says that they will not put on a celebration without having all of the $300,000 in funds they require.

Gauthier believes that the celebration needs to be fully funded in order to present the event at its best.

“We just felt if we don’t do it well, it will be much more challenging in terms of attracting corporate sponsorship in ensuing years,” Gauthier told Metro News last week.

Gauthier downplayed the possibility of having the event this year even if the remaining funding were to come in, saying that planners would have had to book popular musical acts well in advance.

The city has been hounded by the public for years about New Year’s Eve festivities, especially since Vancouver prides itself on being a worldclass destination for street festivals.

“Vancouver’s vibrant festivals, parades, and major events throughout the year are a highlight for locals and visitors alike, but there is a definite need for a significant family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration,” said Robertson in a release.

Vancouver residents will have to do their own eventplanning for New Year’s Eve again this year, but may have a central place to congregate next year should the event go ahead. Planners are confident that they will secure all of the funding to make the event happen by the end of 2015.

All eyes on Ryan Miller

 What we can expect from the former Sabres star Michael Sopow Sports Reporter

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n July 1, goalie Ryan Miller signed a three-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks.

Following 11 years with the Buffalo Sabres and a brief stint with the St. Louis Blues, Miller has come to the Canucks on a contract worth approximately $18-million.

Miller has taken over from previous Canucks goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider, who were both controversially traded by former general manager Mike Gillis.

“It’s a new start for me, but it’s a continuation of my career,” Miller told the Canadian Press

in a September 20 article. “I’m very proud of what I’ve done.

I want to work to continue to do things that make me proud.

Getting back to the playoffs and challenging and pushing and ultimately winning the Stanley Cup is my goal. I want do that before I say it’s a career.”

Miller will bring the experience of a veteran NHL goaltender to the team, as Miller has played in 53 playoff games in his career thus far. The trade has given previous starter Eddie Lack a chance for growth, as many felt his immediate replacement of Luongo would, for a time, be detrimental to the team.

“It is surprising if you go back in time, but with the way things played out and the

environment of the NHL, things change quite a bit, sometimes quickly,” said Miller in the same interview. “I’ve never been on a team where something hasn’t changed.”

Although we’re barely into the 2014/15 NHL season, Miller has already demonstrated his goaltending abilities, in posting a perfect season so far, including a shootout win. Shootout reliability is something the Canucks aren’t necessarily used to, but the skill is definitely welcomed for the coming season.

Back in July, Jordan HeathRawlings, deputy editor at Sportsnet.ca wrote, “Miller’s been a difference maker many times in his career, both for the

It’s a new start for me, but it’s a continuation of my career.

— Ryan Miller, the Canadian Press

Buffalo Sabres and for the US Olympic team. He’s capable of stealing games when he’s on and is accustomed to facing a high volume of shots while remaining remarkably consistent.”

The Canucks’ latest game ended in a 2-0 win; what can be said of this result is that Miller is a welcome addition whose skill is invaluable.

news // 4

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Welcome to the block party!

 Previewing the 2014/15 Douglas volleyball season Michael Sopow Sports Reporter

A

nother year of Royals’ volleyball is just around the corner, and both the men’s and women’s teams are confident that they will leave a definitive mark in the upcoming season.

Last year the men’s team was a dominant force, taking home the gold medal at the PACWEST Provincial Championships and having a strong showing at Nationals.

The standards are just as high for this season as the team has set its sights on a repeat showing at nationals and a CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) national championship.

“Our objective every year is to put ourselves in a position to compete for a National Championship,” said Brad Hudson, head coach of the men’s volleyball team. “The commitment to the process is what will ultimately determine whether or not we can be

successful. We have to find a way to maximize both our individual and collective talents in order to earn the right to call ourselves champions.”

The men’s volleyball team at Douglas is not short of individual and collective talent, as proven by last year’s exemplary performance.

This season there are some key players moving on from Douglas’ volleyball program, but the team will still be comprised of a steady mixture of veteran players who have the experience needed to lead, and newer players who possess drive, dedication, and a willingness to learn.

“Obviously we’d like to have guys play all five years here, but that’s simply not the case …” says Hudson. “We have guys in our gym who have been here before. They understand what it means to be a Royal and what it takes to find team success.

It falls to them to assume the responsibility of both moving our program forward and maintaining an environment

where their new teammates can learn, grow, and contribute.”

The other side of Douglas volleyball is of course the women’s team. Last season, the women’s volleyball team was composed of many talented, hard-working players who did the team justice on the court.

This year, Douglas’ women’s team has reconstructed their roster with many new players.

“I have high expectations for this group …” says head coach Kyra Iannone. “We have a very competitive and supportive gym culture this year. I am hoping this will be the year we represent DC and BC at Nationals.”

This year’s women’s team is looking as though it’s brimming with potential and ready to dive into the season. The players appear motivated, confident in their abilities, and ready to embrace the upcoming year with passion. With everyone able to bring something to the team, the start of the season for Douglas’ women’s volleyball is looking bright.

Royal security on edge over “sleazy” overnight guests  Many of Queen’s servants turning to Tinder, Grindr to meet local people Patrick Vaillancourt Senior Columnist

S

ecurity at the British Royal houses across the United Kingdom has been tightened in response to reports released last week that servants in the royal houses are inviting guests to stay with them overnight.

Royal servants are apparently turning to “hook-up” apps such as Grindr and Tinder to unwind after a tiring day of serving the British monarch.

The demands of a position as a royal servant mean that, for the most part, the servants reside in quarters near Buckingham Palace, if not in the palace itself.

There are approximately 800 staffers, who are housed at the Royal Mews and at St. James Palace, only a few hundred metres away from the Queen’s official London residence.

Staffers have previously enjoyed a fair amount of freedom to invite family and friends, even spouses and partners, to their quarters within palace walls. Palace security has long-maintained a tradition of not vetting or screening the guests of staffers.

However, security officials have grown increasingly concerned about overnight guests who are unfamiliar to staffers, such as those one would meet in an unconventional setting—in this case online.

Tinder is a geosocial network which allows a user to meet local men or women as potential love interests, but has been heavily criticized for promoting casual sex among virtual strangers. Grindr follows the same principle as Tinder, but is reserved for men who are gay, bi-sexual, or curious.

One unnamed palace source told the Daily Mail last week, “There are real and serious security concerns at Buckingham Palace about members of staff use of dating apps such as Tinder, which can be rather sleazy.”

The source went on to say that police working security for Buckingham Palace are “particularly unhappy about the number of guests of servants staying overnight, especially when they have only just met on Tinder.”

Dai Davies, former chief superintendent and the former

Security officials have grown increasingly concerned about overnight guests that are unfamiliar to staffers. head of the Royal protection service, told the Daily Mail that the presence of these unchecked guests “makes a complete mockery of the security structure” at the Royal household. Davies believes that security officials will be more vigilant in vetting the guests of royal servants, especially since the United Kingdom is under the second-highest terrorism threat alert level.

There has been no official comment from Buckingham Palace or the Queen, but a palace spokesperson has suggested that there is a specific protocol staffers must follow in inviting guests to their quarters, which includes signing guests in and out.

issue 08 // volume 41

news // 5

Government funding targets youth employment  London, Ontario organizations granted roughly $1-million to help young people get jobs Amy O’Kruk The Gazette

T

he federal government has granted almost $1-million in funding to three London, Ontario organizations that will use the money to create new employment opportunities for the city’s youth.

Skills Link, the federal program responsible for the grant, is pledging more than $952,000 to be split between LEADS Employment Services, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and Hutton House.

The services will be using the money to equip young Londoners, especially those facing barriers to employment, with the skills they need to find work.

Susan Truppe, London North-Centre MP, said a valuable asset the organizations are offering young job seekers is the chance to gain experience.

“It’s very hard [for youth] to find a job and part of the

problem is, if you don’t have experience, [employers] don’t want you to get the job,” Truppe said. “You’re in a catch-22.”

Truppe added by supporting young people who face employment obstacles, it gives these youth the opportunity to enter the workforce and become independent young adults.

Since 2006, the Skills Link program has contributed to over 179,000 youth across Canada getting jobs or returning to school. In London, the funding will translate into an estimated 135 young people gaining employment or schooling.

LEADS is projected to help 56 young individuals join the workforce or return to school by offering group-based skill training and opportunities to attain work experience. Youth Opportunities Unlimited will offer a similar program and link 30 young people to jobs in retail, food, and the hospitality sector.

Hutton House will use the funds to support their work involving youth with disabilities. The organization will aid 49 young people in overcoming social and physical barriers to employment.

Hutton House’s Executive Director, Marilyn Neufeld, described how the program operates.

“The funding works so that young people come in and they have training opportunities, they can take workshops on all kinds of topics that relate to becoming employed,” Neufeld said. “From there, they go out on a 12-week work experience at a business. We try to match each person individually to what their employment goals are.”

Truppe said every dollar spent on youth is a dollar wellspent. “Youth are our future and we have to do something to get them jobs and … help them, especially the ones that really don’t have a chance to move out into the work force.”

news // 6

theotherpress.ca

Assisted suicide debate reopened in Canada

 Violation of the Canadian Constitution or human right?

Brittney MacDonald Staff Writer

I

n one of the first times since the 1993 Sue Rodriguez case, the debate on assisted suicide has been brought to Canadian media’s attention. The current legal status of assisted suicide, or the “right-to-die” as supporters are calling it, has once again come into question for the Supreme Court.

In an October 14 press conference held in Sept-Iles, Quebec, Prime Minister Stephen Harper assured the public that the Canadian government had no intention of revisiting the right-todie debate: “These difficult

questions around right-to-die and assisted suicide—as you know they were discussed a couple of years back in the Parliament of Canada [referring to the examination of the law in 1993], the government of Canada at this time has no intention of reopening that debate.”

Many right-to-die supporters do not approve of Harper’s response. Different organizations representing a scope of people from the disabled to the terminally ill or injured and their families have come forward and petitioned the Supreme Court to reopen the debate on the grounds that not doing so violates the Canadian Constitution.

The nature of their argument centres on the fact that physically healthy individuals have the right to take their own life without legal penalty; however, it’s a crime if someone helps another who requires assistance in ending their life due to a physical impediment, disability, or coma.

For the right-to-die supporters, this is discrimination.

Grace Pastine, litigation director for the BC Civil Liberties Association—a group seeking to legalize assisted suicide—told the Canadian Press, “The fact of the matter is that Canadians are suffering against their wishes at the end of life and they are asking the court for change.

“Now is the time for Canada to decriminalize physicianassisted dying and give seriously ill patients the dignity and compassion that they deserve.”

However, the government and supporters of upholding the current laws fear that decriminalization of assisted suicide will lead to exploitation.

Changing the assisted suicide laws has the possibility of making it far easier for someone to negatively influence an emotionally vulnerable person to commit suicide, while not suffering consequence in their role in that person’s death.

Taylor Hyatt, a 22-yearold woman with cerebral palsy who is also a member of the Euthanasia Prevention

Coalition, is afraid that legalization of assisted suicide will create the wrong mentality for society regarding the disabled, that the people are “better off dead than disabled,” as Hyatt told CBC. As of October 15, Supreme Court hearings are underway to determine whether the current assisted suicide laws are in violation of the Constitution. If so, the case will force Canadian Parliament to re-examine the laws, but not necessarily change them or the current legal status of assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is legal in various forms in Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, as well as several US states, most notably Oregon.

Douglas’ Uganda Quiz Night returns for fourth year  All proceeds go towards literacy projects Angela Espinoza News Editor news @theotherpress.ca

T

he fourth annual Uganda Quiz Night will be taking place on October 28. The night will be hosted by the Douglas College Foundation and Coquitlam Sunrise Rotary at the David Lam campus, with all proceeds going towards literacy projects in Uganda.

This year’s event coincides with the 10-year anniversary of Douglas Child, Family and Community Studies (CFCS) students providing practicum placements in Uganda. “[Since 2005] we’ve been sending

students from CFCS programs to Uganda where the students undertake a 10-week practicum,” said Douglas CFCS professor Wendy Parry.

The CFCS programs involved in the Uganda project include, but are not limited to, Therapeutic Education, Classroom and Community Support, Early Childhood Education, and as of this year Psychiatric Nursing. Parry stated that up to 15 students from various programs would be part of the upcoming Uganda trip.

“Our students are an integral part of that [education] process, so they’ll be working with the Uganda community to develop literacy projects,”

said Parry. “We have two projects that we hope we’ll be able to undertake this year: to support the Masaka Library and to support the COTFONE [Community Transformation Foundation Network] School which is a school and organization.” Parry added that Douglas students are hoping to build a library for the Uganda school.

As for the Quiz Night, “It’s open to anybody who wants to get involved [and] we encourage the public to come,” said Parry.

Teams of four-to-six people will compete against each other in the spirit of fun.

Those who register solo will be teamed up with others. “This year we’re going to have a team

spirit award,” said Parry. “Any team that either dresses up or distinguishes themselves in any way” will have a chance to win the award.

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart will be returning as emcee from last year’s Quiz Night. Parry stated that questions during the Quiz Night have a wide range, from history to sports to current events. Former Coquitlam Public Library director Rhian Piprell will once again be the quizmaster, selecting a list of skill-testing questions, including some with a focus on Uganda.

There will also be a silent auction with over 20 items for attendees to bid on, including

Uganda-themed crafts. Door prizes and a cash bar will also be available.

“Every year we get bigger and better,” said Parry. “This year we hope to have 30 tables, and we’re holding it in a bigger space.” The 2014 Quiz Night will be in the David Lam campus’ large cafeteria.

Those interested in attending can register online at http://goo.gl/2jNHMW or via phone at (604)-777-6168.

Registration will remain open until October 27, and attendees must be 19 years of age or older.

Registration is $20 per person and can be paid the evening of the Quiz Night, which runs from 7 to 10 p.m.

CTV reports, he had financial difficulties and resided in a van.

As more information of DeGroot, who was 45 at the time of his death, has been made public, many have expressed support for DeGroot regarding his well-being prior to his final altercation with police. A Facebook memorial page for DeGroot currently has over 300 likes, and provides more possible details on DeGroot’s volunteer care-taking of animals.

Dione DeGroot Beard posted to the Facebook page stating, “This was a predictable outcome. It did not have to end this way.”

Despite the public support of those who knew DeGroot and those who feel they are not receiving the full story, police maintained they felt DeGroot was a serious threat following his alleged October 9 shooting attempt. DeGroot was known to police, albeit for publicly unknown reasons. There is currently an investigation being performed by the Independent Investigations Office, a BC police watchdog.

Reasons behind the watchdog investigation include the limited amount of information that has been revealed regarding the “interaction” that lead to DeGroot’s death.

Peter DeGroot shooting stirs controversy  Slocan lockdown ended in death of perpetrator Angela Espinoza News Editor news @theotherpress.ca

P

eter DeGroot was the target of an intense manhunt Thanksgiving weekend in Slocan, BC. DeGroot allegedly shot at police on October 9 before running into a nearby forest; he was killed on October 13.

The initial altercation between DeGroot and police allegedly involved DeGroot firing at several officers who were responding to a dispute between two people—the

dispute may have involved DeGroot. As police fired back, DeGroot escaped into a wooded area and was suspected of hiding there during the search.

Police kept the small town of Slocan under lockdown between October 9 and October 11 as they searched for DeGroot. At the time, DeGroot was reported to be armed and dangerous, roaming the woods with several weapons. Although police did not locate DeGroot until October 13, witnesses believed DeGroot had left the inhabited area, leading police to eventually lift the lockdown.

DeGroot was located in a cabin on October 13 where, after

what RCMP Superintendent Frank Smart referred to as an “interaction,” DeGroot was shot and killed by police.

In a public statement, Smart said, “This was a serious incident and we are providing ongoing support to the families of the deceased as well as to the police officers involved.”

Since DeGroot’s death was announced on October 14, friends have come forward revealing DeGroot may have suffered from various mental issues. DeGroot had apparently lived in Victoria throughout the ‘90s, and as of late had been taking care of numerous animals on his own, while, as

This issue:

Seen something worth sharing?

 Lighthearted Halloween flicks for the frightened

Contact: Cheryl Minns, Arts Editor

 Chairman of the Board: Friends for dinner

 arts@theotherpress.ca

 Douglas alumni take CBC ComedyCoup by storm

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

Fred Ewanuick is the boss in new comedy ‘Ranger Bay’  From Commercial Drive to ‘Corner Gas’ Cheryl Minns Arts Editor arts @theotherpress.ca

F

ans of Canadian comedy series are sure to know the name Fred Ewanuick, who has starred in Regina’s Corner Gas, Vancouver’s Robson Arms, and Kitchner’s Dan for Mayor. Now he’s appearing on the big screen in Corner Gas: The Movie, guest starring in the 10th season of Supernatural, and working on a potential new TV series called Ranger Bay. Ewanuick met with the Other Press last week on Commercial Drive at Caffé Calabria, the oldest Italian coffee house in Vancouver.

“I love this place. It’s so old school,” said Ewanuick, who is of Italian-Ukrainian lineage, about the café he has patronized since he was a child. “My parents grew up around here, so I claim to have East Van blood. I’m from Port Moody, but I claim to be part-East Van.” Ranger Bay, a comedy project made for the CBC ComedyCoup competition, follows the fictional story of Vancouver park rangers and their newest hire, Claire Mulligan (Brynn Peebles), a disgraced police cadet who accidentally started the Stanley Cup Riot.

“The potential for the show is particularly strong,” Ewanuick said. “I think it’s as good as pretty much all the stuff that’s out there.”

Ewanuick plays a senior park ranger in the series who is intimidated by Mulligan’s height and overachiever attitude.

“I get to be a boss. I’ve never been a boss before,” he said about the character. “He’s a pretty smart guy, but he doesn’t like parks and he doesn’t like animals. He’s really good at his job, at this administrative stuff.

That’s why he’s there.”

If the series goes into production, Ewanuick teased that “he’d be one of those characters who you’d never really see in the park. He’d always be

sending people out to do the stuff that needs to be done.”

In the CBC ComedyCoup competition, viewers cast their vote for which show they want to see continue to the next round and get one step closer to production. The projects feature video clips, photos, interviews, and more on the website, comedycoup.cbc.ca.

“Check it out, and if you relate to it and think, ‘Oh, that’s a show I’d like to see,’ then please vote for it and share it,” Ewanuick said.

Whether the show wins the competition or not, he hopes the creators—Jamie Hrushowy, Mike Scully, and Tom Hackett— will continue the show in some way because he has enjoyed working with them. Three of them—Ewanuick, Hrushowy, and Hackett—know each other from their Douglas College days in the theatre program.

“I haven’t seen them in a long, long time. It brought back a lot of fun memories of my time at Douglas,” Ewanuick said.

Though he didn’t complete the theatre program, it helped him realize that he was more of a film actor than a stage actor.

“In film and television, everything works at a quicker pace. I’m more of a person who likes to experience it and then go home and not think about it,” he said, explaining that theatre is more about fine-tuning scenes and characters than working with fresh material.

“For me, I realized that theatre wasn’t going to be.

But I learned skills—which I didn’t realize at the time I was learning—that have helped me in my career today.”

Ewanuick is also a screenplay writer and has

written scripts over the years, which he has recently begun releasing.

“Sometimes you can get caught up in the acting world and it can get a bit frustrating because there’s peaks and valleys. So having something else that’s still creative has been great,” he said.

One of his latest projects is The Magic Ferret, a short film about an orphan boy named Sam (Jacob Tremblay) who puts on a magic show with his ferret Booger (Falcor the Ferret) to impress prospective parents.

Ewanuick starred in the film as prospective father Mr. Parker, and now is writing the script for a feature-length adaptation.

This summer, Ewanuick and the cast of Corner Gas returned to Regina, Saskatchewan, five years after the show’s finale to film Corner Gas: The Movie, which premieres in theatres this December.

“It was like a homecoming to see everybody again. Regina was like a second home. It was good,” he said about the filming.

In the movie, not a lot has changed over the last five years in the fictional town of Dog River, Saskatchewan. That is until Brent (Brent Butt) and his friends discover that the town has been poorly managed and is under threat by a corporate giant, which means it’s up to them to save the town.

“People who like the show are going to dig it for sure. They’re going to love it,” Ewanuick said. “It’ll be interesting to see how many folks we get out there who haven’t seen the TV show or aren’t fans of the show.”

To decide which theatres will premiere Corner Gas: The Movie, the CTV website has a map application called Light Up The Map of Canada where fans can vote for their local theatre to host the premiere. For more information on Corner Gas: The Movie, check out the official website at cornergasthemovie. com.

To learn more about Ewanuick’s work, visit his official website at fred-ewanuick.com

New art exhibit shows talent runs in the family  ‘Under the Same Roof’ in the Amelia Douglas Gallery Cheryl Minns Arts Editor arts @theotherpress.ca

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ather and daughter Ewan McNeil and Jessie McNeil are the latest artists to have their work on display in the Amelia Douglas Gallery at the Douglas College New Westminster campus. From October 23 to December 12, Under the Same Roof will feature Ewan’s sculptures and Jessie’s figurative collages as well as a collaborative large mural spread across the exterior wall of the Laura C. Muir Theatre.

“I hope visitors go away with a pleasurable visual experience and an idea of what it takes to live and work and be an artist,” Ewan said about the exhibit.

The large mural is particularly special because it is a new type of art for the McNeils due to the collaboration and size.

“I don’t usually work in that size, so it was a bit of a challenge for me,” Jessie said.

“We set a few guidelines and starting off points, then I would work a little bit on my own, then my dad would. We would reflect on what we did and then go from there.”

“We both have studios within shouting distance and we’re constantly coming in

and out of each other’s and checking up on the work,” Ewan said. “It was difficult to get space to actually do the mural. We had to set the mural up in the alleyway in order to get a full picture of what we were doing.”

Both artists will be giving a presentation about their art on October 24 at 10 a.m. in the Amelia Douglas Gallery, and students and members of the community are welcome to attend.

“The process is really important to me and I would like to talk about what’s possible,” Ewan said about the presentation. “I might pepper it with some art history.”

“I always love an open format, Q-&-A kind of thing, so bring questions!” Jessie said.

The show was originally called Merge, but underwent a name change when the artists decided on a more symbolic show title.

“Merge sounded kind of vague,” Ewan explained.

“Under the Same Roof just came to us,” Jessie said. “We could think of it literally, like we’re working under the same roof, or metaphorically.”

Ewan and Jessie will be in attendance at the opening reception for Under the Same Roof on October 24 at 4:30 p.m. at the Amelia Douglas Gallery.

arts // 8

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Lighthearted Halloween flicks for the frightened  Fewer screams and more laughs

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) Another beloved TV tradition frequently quoted and aired.

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, and the whole Peanuts gang celebrate Halloween in their family-friendly, typical animated style. As a kid, I always worried about getting a rock in my candy bag just like our unfortunate hero.

Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer

W

ith the holiday season of Halloween wellunderway, horror films have never been more popular. Scary movies play on cable, in the theatres, and all over the Netflix promotions. Many of us love the spirit of Halloween, but some can’t handle movies that seek to make the viewer scared or uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are a lot of movies available that, while scary, are easily suitable to watch with timid friends or anyone who doesn’t want to sleep with the lights on.

Scary Movie (2000) This one is a pioneer of the parody film genre, before they became horrible and unfunny. This flick parodies popular horror movies from the ’90s—everything from Scream to The Blair Witch Project. It should not be confused with its less-thanfunny sequels, although Scary Movie 2 is on par with the first.

Beetlejuice (1988) A recently deceased couple find themselves annoyed by the new (living) family occupying their house. They enlist the help of the wisecracking “bio-exorcist” ghost Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), with hijinks ensuing for all. An early film of quirkymaster director Tim Burton, this remains one of my favourites.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) In this bizarre rock-and-roll musical, horror comedy, clean-cut young adults Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) find themselves in a castle inhabited by a transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), who’s eager to unleash his handsome “monster” creation. An absolute cult-classic that parodies early horror and science fiction films, this one is even better if you can find a showing at a local theatre.

Young Frankenstein (1974) Directed by comedy legend Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder (the original Willy Wonka), this hilarious classic filmed in black-and-white follows Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson and his revival of Grandpa’s experiments. If you’re blue and don’t know what to watch this Halloween, then why not try this?

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) This Claymation musical masterpiece is one of Tim Burton’s best films. The Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, discovers Christmas Town and attempts to bring the two holidays together—but things don’t go so well. For me, this one’s a tradition every Halloween and Christmas.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) This very British zombie film mocks and tributes the zombie genre all the way to the title. Created by the popular team of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright, this is one of the best zombie films ever made, despite its parody. Who says zombies aren’t funny?

Chairman of the Board: Friends for dinner  ‘Werewolf’ game review Ed Appleby Illustrator illustrator @theotherpress.ca

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his October, I’m going to be taking a look at a series of darker themed games. This week we look at a game that can literally involve a whole village.

Werewolf, also known as Mafia, is a party game designed

by Dimitry Davidoff for eight or more players. In the game, two or three players are secretly werewolves who kill off one of the other players every night.

The rest of the players are villagers who, in the morning, pick one of their own to lynch in hopes of getting rid of the

Hocus Pocus (1993) Beloved by families and often on cable TV, this spooky comedy follows two teenagers who accidentally resurrect three cackling witches on Halloween night. It’s a definite Halloween tradition.

werewolves. Some villagers have special abilities, such as killing, healing, or identifying whether other players are the werewolf. The game ends once all the werewolves are killed or there are no villagers left.

One player gets to play the Storyteller. This player works outside of the game, making sure the day and night sequences work and everyone follows the rules. It is usually the most experienced player or one who has the best flair for storytelling.

The best aspects of the game are its subterfuge, bluffing, and maintaining the alliances among the werewolves. It is similar to other betrayer-style games such

as The Resistance or Bang! The game is quick, and can involve a lot of people. It does have the elimination issue that some other games have, but it can still be entertaining even to someone watching from the outside.

Werewolf is considered to be public domain and you can find the rules to it easily enough online. But if you want something a little more stylistic and permanent, you can find several versions on Kickstarter or pick up the seminal version Werewolves of Miller Hollow published by Asmodee.

This is a game to pull out at your Halloween party, for both kids and older gamers. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

issue 08 // volume 41

arts // 9

Douglas alumni take CBC ComedyCoup by storm

 ‘Roll for Damage’ brings role-playing game to life Cheryl Minns Arts Editor arts @theotherpress.ca

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rab a pen and paper, put on imaginary armour, and get ready to storm the castle in the potential new comedy series Roll for Damage, a project by Max Mitchell and Adam Pateman in the CBC ComedyCoup competition. Each week the crew produces new content for the show as part of the competition’s challenges, trying to gain viewers’ votes and win the grand prize of having the show produced by CBC. Roll for Damage follows a call centre employee (Ivan Decker) who joins a Dungeons and Dragons group with four young adults (including Pateman) seeking adventure and escape from their mundane lives. While playing the game, the characters live out their fantasies in animations that appear over the live-action scenes, drawn by cartoonist Brian Fukushima.

“Brian’s ability to draw over the footage as an extension of the characters’ imaginations is a very cool element,” Pateman told the Other Press. “You get this boundless opportunity to do anything—almost like a cartoon show—whereas you can see very clearly that these are drawn imaginations above their heads and they’re still grounded in this reality, so it doesn’t get too fantastical.”

Along with the animation, the pen-and-paper gaming aspect of the show allows the characters to reveal aspects of their personalities in unconventional ways.

“Dungeons and Dragons is fascinating from a physiological point of view.

You can learn a lot about people when you free them to do whatever they like in a world without real-life consequences,” Mitchell wrote to the Other Press. “I’m excited to use that as a method to explore Roll For Damage characters’ psyches.”

Mitchell and Pateman each have personal experience with pen-and-paper games, where they have gotten deeply involved in the storytelling side of the game.

“When we played, we were more focussed on weaving a ridiculous story, meeting new characters, exploring the world around us, and basically

anything else that would test our dungeon master’s creativity,” wrote Mitchell, referring to the dungeon master who acts as a narrator during the game and describes the scenes and events that occur.

Actor Andrew Barber realized the show’s potential when he first signed on to the project.

“The Dungeons and Dragons fan base is really huge, so when Max was pitching me on the show I thought right away that, regardless of what happens, it’s a good idea to attempt this kind of thing,” he said to the Other Press.

“I hope that people who play Dungeons and Dragons enjoy it, and that it does it justice.”

Outside of the gaming aspect, Mitchell and Pateman hope to show off their hometown of Vancouver and film the series around the city, which they feel would be a unique aspect of their show.

“I don’t think Canadian television has a lot of representation of Vancouver in it,” Pateman said. “One thing we’d really like to do is showcase what it’s like to live in Vancouver and what it’s like to be involved in a world where you have a bunch of friends get together and play this game in this setting that’s very unique to Canadian television.”

Mitchell, Pateman, and Barber met in high school and put together sketch comedy performances, including a Fringe Festival production.

They attribute some of their live performance skills to their student experience in Douglas College’s theatre program.

“The theatre background really boosted me up into being able to tackle improv in a better way. That excelled me fairly quickly into being good at improv, enough to get paid for it,” said Barber, who performs with TheatreSports.

“I learned an incredible amount about acting in the short time I was there,” Mitchell wrote. “Allan Lysell and Cheryl Swan are exceptional teachers.”

Pateman added, “We all kind of ended up at Douglas College. First Max went, and then I went, and then Andrew went. We just kept passing on the torch because we were having such a good time.”

To learn more about Roll for Damage, check out the CBC ComedyCoup website at comedycoup.cbc.ca/roll-fordamage

arts // 10

theotherpress.ca

Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist

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A Rabbi and a Muslim walk onto the stage

Vancouver Firehall Arts Centre season opens strong Mercedes Deutscher Staff Writer

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y Rabbi, a two-man play about friends with different religious and political views, kicks off the Vancouver Firehall Arts Centre’s latest season with a show that audiences aren’t soon to forget.

The comedy-drama story documents the relationship of two Canadian-born friends: Jacob (Joel Bernbaum), a Jewish Rabbi, and Ayra (Kayvon Kelly), a Muslim man. The story is told through a series of flashbacks about their friendship being affected by family members, their experiences through college years, their chosen professions, trips to Israel and Mecca, and the politics

surrounding conflict between Jewish and Palestinian peoples.

For a two-man show, My Rabbi is very well-executed.

Despite having only two actors, there are four characters, with each actor playing two roles. It is easy to distinguish between characters and points in time due to distinct characterization and acting. The actors are able to switch mood, character, and scene in a split-second, making the play move on effortlessly and smoothly.

The set contains only a table and two chairs, yet they are utilized highly efficiently.

The play also makes use of different kinds of stage lighting to aid in the flow of time, the scene, and how the characters communicate. Voiceover news reports are used effectively to

build tension between the two cultures.

For the most part, the story is well-told within its 65-minute run time. While the acting and lighting helps the play’s experience immensely, there are a few script errors that weren’t easy to ignore. Plot points, such as Ayra’s accidental involvement in terrorist activity or the conclusion of these men’s friendship, are mentioned but not explored in as great detail as it seems they should be. Other details that come up while developing the nature of the friendship seem to drag on for longer than necessary.

Despite problems with the script, the production does the best with what it has and the audience was thoroughly engaged.

Comic Corner: Jack the Ripper revisited  ‘From Hell’ review Brittney MacDonald Staff Writer

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ne of the most quintessential cold cases that everyone knows by name is the legend of Jack the Ripper.

Focussing on one particular theory that has since been discredited, Alan Moore’s graphic novel From Hell provides a complex, politically intense, gory mystery perfect for any late Halloween night.

But lacklustre art significantly lowers the enjoyment of this particular read.

The story is based on the

Whitechapel murders of 1888, better known as the Jack the Ripper case. If you’re unfamiliar, a serial killer murdered five impoverished prostitutes, luring them in with grapes (a delicacy at the time) before slashing their throats and mutilating them after death.

Theories and suspects were numerous, but none were ever confirmed and the killer was never caught.

If all that sounds familiar, then you might have watched the 2001 movie From Hell starring Johnny Depp, which was based on this comic series.

But believe me: the graphic novel is quite a bit different and far better. The main difference

is that the story focusses more on the Ripper himself, rather than the romance or investigation.

The art by Eddie Campbell was the only problem I had with this book. I wanted more than anything to see the grit and darkness that is so synonymous with this legend. Instead I got pen scribbles in the vague shape of a face, and panels where the foreground and background are oftentimes impossible to distinguish from one another.

I rarely ever say this, but this is one graphic novel where I hope to find a literary adaptation. I’d recommend this to any horror fan who can look past the art.

riana Grande is one of the most-talked about singers right now, especially her hit single “Problem” from her new album My Everything. In the song’s music video, Ariana sings and dances, rapper Iggy Azalea does a brief rap and dances with Ariana, and there are various references to the 1960s throughout.

The music video is filmed in CinemaScope. Ariana is spinning around on top of a 1960s-style swirl, and there are French New Wave jump cuts during the chorus of the song. The clothes the singers wear in the music video are also reminiscent of the era, like Ariana’s go-go boots or Iggy’s turtleneck sweater.

When you watch the music video, it could be said that Ariana sounds like Mariah Carey and Iggy sounds like Nicki Minaj.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS1g8G_njx8

Steven’s Man-Cave: One last re-release  ‘The Walking Dead: The Game’ PS4 review

Steven Cayer Senior Columnist

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ith Halloween on the way and The Walking Dead back on air, it’s time to look at a classic that’s been re-released for PS4.

Telltale Games created the video game version of the apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, based on the Robert Kirkman comics, back in 2012. Although the gameplay was a little wonky, the story and writing got it the 2012 Game of the Year award. If for some bizarre reason you haven’t played this game at all, let me convince you.

You play as Lee Everett, a man who’s on his way to prison because he killed a senator. This is when he encounters his first zombie attack. After he escapes, he meets Clementine, a young girl hiding in her treehouse waiting for her parents to come home. After an incident with her babysitter, Lee and

Clem start a life-changing journey of survival and meet new people along the way.

It’s the relationship between Lee and Clem that’s the heart of this game. As Lee, all you want is to keep Clem safe from the zombies and the living. Throughout the games’ five episodes, you need to make difficult choices that change the way people see you, even who dies and who survives. Some people say that despite that, some things are inevitable, making the game really linear. I would argue that Telltale Games has created an interactive experience instead of a typical game.

Although I’m very happy I got to jump back into Lee’s world, I’m very disappointed that there are barely any changes from the older versions. The graphics are the same, and the glitches are still there, freezing the game somewhat often. Even though it does come with the DLC 400 Days, $30 is too much. I would’ve thought that it’d be the PSN PS+ free game of the month.

I say definitely play this game, but not on the PS4.

This issue:

Have an idea?

 The age of anonymous

Contact: Natalie Serafini, Editor-in-Chief

 Boys to men

 editor@theotherpress.ca

 What students learned under the Yellow Umbrella

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

The age of anonymous  Does Internet anonymity encourage hate speech?

Tamara Connor The Peak (NUW)

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he far-reaching abilities of the Internet have opened many doors for all of us, but they have also exposed us to a new racist, classist, homophobic, and (especially) misogynistic rhetoric that endangers the progressive ideals we’ve spent decades working towards.

Now, don’t get me wrong; I think the Internet has been a great tool for spreading equality, and it has certainly been an excellent platform for women and other underrepresented groups around the world to make their voices heard. But increasingly, those who share their opinions and beliefs about injustice online are often met with a series of comments meant to shame them for speaking up.

Consider the efforts made by feminists to open discussion about gender equality. After Emma Watson’s stunning speech at the United Nations promoting the ongoing He for She campaign, she was immediately met with sexual threats and told by anonymous users that naked photos of her would soon hit the net. Despite the revelation that the supposed leak was a hoax, this is still an

instance of sexist bullying, and a threat we should take seriously.

Just because these comments are made online doesn’t make them any less harmful or destructive.

We all live two lives: our physical one in the “real world,” and our digital one online.

Those with a prejudice against women or others tend to use the latter to express their hateful views. Operating from behind a veil of secrecy, people are allowed to openly perpetuate ideas which would be met with harsh criticism in the real world.

Social justice requires accountability, but the nature of the Internet makes it difficult to know from where and from whom regressive comments are coming. Because of this, we tend to shift the blame for online attacks onto the victims, which is a serious step backwards.

The relationship between the web and society is not as simple as we like to think. The Internet has become a sort of modern Wild West—lawless and often dangerous. From behind their screens, trolls attack others with vulgar comments and threats of assault.

But these attacks are only part of the problem. Perhaps an even bigger issue is how our society has normalized these attacks, often writing them off

as minor annoyances or simply an unavoidable part of the web.

As the real world continues to progress in favour of equality, the digital one is becoming exceedingly weighed down by the regressive forces of online harassment.

As Laurie Penny, British journalist and feminist, put it, “An opinion, it seems, is the short skirt of the Internet.

Having one and flaunting it is somehow asking an amorphous mass of almost-entirely male keyboard-bashers to tell you how they’d like to rape, kill, and urinate on you.”

Society continues to blame the women who experience online invasions of their privacy, instead of focussing on the aggressors. After the recent nude photo leaks, many countered that, if a woman doesn’t want naked pictures of herself on the Internet, she shouldn’t have taken any to begin with.

This is classic victimblaming, plain and simple.

It’s no mistake that the leaked photos were of some of the most powerful and prominent women in our society—this invasion of privacy was an attempt to reaffirm patriarchal ideas of gendered power dynamics.

The anonymity of the Internet makes it hard to identify where threats are

coming from, and because of this, we put responsibility on women to protect themselves.

This often translates to dissuading women from participating in online discourse, rather than looking to change the problem.

Allowing anonymity on the Internet, however, comes with plenty of potential benefits, and threats to remove anonymous outlets on the web have been met with backlash. We know that being able to browse and post anonymously protects an individual’s right to privacy. In an effort to track the few who are responsible for hate speech, we would likely punish the large majority of web users who don’t engage in these sorts of exchanges.

Ultimately, we will change people’s attitudes about online threats and hate speech by recognizing and condemning them when they appear, anonymously or not. Instead of focussing on the victim, we need to call out these attackers and make sure they know that their comments are damaging and unacceptable.

Mob mentality and the feeling that anonymity allows one to get away with anything is what fuels many to keep posting offensive remarks—if we are watching and calling them out, they might think twice.

Social justice requires accountability, but the nature of the Internet makes it difficult to know from where and from whom regressive comments are coming.

Blaming victims and dismissing hate speech as “trolling” ignores the strides made by modern feminism, civil rights, gay rights, and other movements; and protects those who are making the Internet less safe. We need to take these comments and threats seriously. Just because they’re online doesn’t make them any less harmful or destructive.

I encourage all of you to think hard about the recent online shaming of women—if it had happened anywhere but on the web, would we be talking about it the same way? We need to focus on the real problem here; if we don’t, the Internet will never become the safe and constructive environment that it’s meant to be.

feature // 14

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What students learned under the

Yellow Umbrella Dora Liu, The Dialog

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o fight for real democracy, Hong Kong has undergone the most turbulent period of mass protests since 1967. Hong Kong students are playing the decisive role in this pro-democracy movement.

On August 31, China announced that all citizens of Hong Kong will be able to elect their Chief Executive in 2017 as a promised democratic reform.

However, China also said that the candidates must be the two or three people selected by a nomination committee which is seen as friendly to Beijing.

This tricky reform triggered the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) to call for a week-long class boycott on September 22 of all Hong Kong tertiary education institutions.

The Hong Kong government gave no response to the class boycott and sit-down strike that brought the students to besiege the government headquarters.

Then, pepper spray was shot at the students.

On September 28, police fired 87 tear gas canisters, powerful pepper spray and an unknown number of plastic bullets at the protesters. In response, over 100,000 citizens took to the streets, occupying Hong Kong’s main business areas as their bargaining chip to force the government to withdraw the election restriction.

That kicked off the unprecedented pro-democracy movement. Some foreign media called it the “Umbrella Revolution.”

The movement is still going on, even as groups of thugs continue to intimidate

the protesters. At times they have even punched and beat the demonstrators.

However, the HKFS announced that they will not withdraw.

The Hong Kong government said that they will not even offer a conversation with the students as they refused to go home.

No one knows the result; most believe the movement will fail. However, in this unending demonstration, what have the students learned? We interviewed three students from Hong Kong and Toronto.

Timothy Chan, 20, is a second-year student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He suffered tear gas and pepper spray while protesting several times. He has still gone to the street every day since Sept. 22. ”What have I learned from this movement? I think it’s the importance of knowledge, only knowledge can make change of our world,” said Chan.

“While we were having a sit-down strike in front of the government headquarters, HKFS organized some professors from different universities and colleges to give talks to us. In that, professor Chow Po Chung talked about the freedom and democracy in political philosophy, and another professor, David Lloyd Smith, gave a talk named “Totalitarianism and George Orwell.” Those inspired me the most. They made me realize what can change our future,” said Chan.

“I know it (occupying business areas) is not the only way to achieve our goal, but if we don’t go, then who?” asked Chan. “My friend said, ‘persistence is victory.’

I do believe it is true.”

Ethan Han, 27, is a first-year student in financial planning at George Brown College who was

 Students share their thoughts on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong

born in mainland China.

“I can understand and fully support what the Hong Kong people have done,” said Han. “For this year I am living in Toronto.

I enjoy that all my human rights have been respected by everyone; I enjoy that all the chances I came across can be gained by fair competition. I know they are all about democracy.”

“Looking as people in Hong Kong strive for their good future, I can relate.” said Han. “I hope one day my kids and my family will live in a fair and just world where we don’t need to strive for freedom or for democracy.”

Han said, “I don’t think everybody should vote, but as a Chinese, a mainland Chinese, if one day I can vote but I give up this privilege, that would be an unforgivable mistake.”

Andrew Leung, 20, is a thirdyear student in political science at the University of Toronto (U of T). He was born in Hong Kong but has lived in Toronto for four years. He is one of the leaders of the Ontario United Front of Hong Kong Students (OUFS), and organized a demonstration at the U of T to support the umbrella revolution, which had over a thousand people participate.

“I felt interested in politics since I was in high school. I found it’s only being involved in politics that can make change in the world,” said Leung. “But these years, seeing what the politicians did, I already have no expectations for them.”

“I always believe that good things only can be done by persistence. It was proven by this movement,” said Leung. “I am so proud of what the Hong Kong students have done. They made me feel that Hong Kong still has hope. I definitely believe that.”

Timothy Chan, a student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Andrew Leung is a student at University of Toronto (U of T) and a leader of Ontario United Front of Hong Kong Students

This issue:

Have an idea for a story? Let us know!

 Peanut butter marshmallow ‘yummy bars’

Contact: Sophie Isbister, Life & Style Editor

 Stop HIV & hep C now

 lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

 How to be stereotypically Canadian, eh

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

Celebrating Halloween around Greater Vancouver  Fun things to do for October

Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer

H

alloween sometimes seems like the one holiday without a specific way to celebrate it. Although younger people generally celebrate by trick-ortreating, that becomes socially unacceptable when you’re in college—no matter how hard I try. Besides the usual method of going to a party and giving yourself a massive hangover on November 1 (especially with Halloween being on a Friday this year) there are many ways to have some spooky fun on or before Halloween night.

Haunted Vancouver tours: Why go to a fake haunted place when you can see the real things?

These tours involve travelling through the city by foot or on trolley, discovering the true scary stories of Vancouver. See the locations of ghastly murders, pass through cemeteries and morgues, and find out about the scariest real things in our city that don’t involve the cost of housing. Check out the Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tour or the Lost Souls of Gastown to book your creepy adventure.

Horror movies at the theatre: Many cinemas in Vancouver show an assortment of scary movies at this time of year. The Rio Theatre in East Van will be hosting the Rio Grind Film Festival from October 23-26, featuring many independent horror films. They will also be hosting a variety horrorcomedy show and the classic ghost flick Beetlejuice on October 31. Another film series to check out is the Canadian Horror Show at the Vancity Theatre, a showcase into some of the best horror Canadian cinema has to offer. Of course, you can also see the recently released scary movies Annabelle or Dracula Untold at most movie theatres around town.

Halloween club parties: Almost every club or venue in Vancouver is having a Halloween-themed event either the weekend before or on October 31. Cruises, masquerades, raves, and concerts of all sizes are taking place on the weekend before or during Halloween for the 19+ crowd. Costumes are often encouraged and it’s a great place to socialize or “get freaky.”

Haunted houses: Many attractions featuring scary props and actors can be found in the Lower Mainland. The most popular are Potters House of Horrors in Surrey and Playland’s Fright Nights, with seven different houses, in Vancouver. Smaller ones include Gravecouver Haunted House in Burnaby and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s Haunted Chinese Garden in Chinatown.

Peanut butter marshmallow ‘yummy bars’  The tastiest fall snack you’ll ever try Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle @theotherpress.ca

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eriously, don’t make this dessert. I shouldn’t even be publishing this! If you make these bars for a party or dinner, or even just as a study snack, I warn you, you will become addicted. These are so incredibly easy to make and delicious that you will find yourself running to the cupboard on an almost-daily basis to get your fix. You’ve been warned.

Yummy bars were originally introduced to me by a friend, who wouldn’t tell me the

recipe—she called them Yummy Bars, which made it difficult to Google the exact steps to make them. Things were better then, until I came across a Facebook post that outlined in clear detail the very few steps it takes to make these delicious treats. Now I can’t help but share the magic!

Yummy bars You will need: 1 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup peanut butter (the junky Kraft kind works best) 1/4 cup hard butter cut into small chunks 8 ounces multi-coloured mini marshmallows And that’s it!

Directions: Start by melting the chips, butter, and peanut butter over low heat. A doubleboiler works best but any thickbottomed pot will do. Low heat is important because peanut butter burns quickly! Melt the ingredients until mixed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool a bit. Stir in the marshmallows, then press the whole mixture into an 8”x8” pan. Cool the bars in the fridge, cut into small pieces, and enjoy!

To make cleanup easier, I like to line my pan with parchment paper, but this isn’t necessary. I recommend making a double batch for a large party. Store any leftovers (haha, as if!) in the fridge.

Family friendly frights: For those of us celebrating with younger folk, great allages activities can be found around the city. The Stanley Park Ghost Train this year features a twisted take on Mother Goose. Travelers ride through the park seeing a beautiful display of scary fun.

The Burnaby Village Museum has an equally cool theme of steampunk and crows. It features a sideshow, carousals, decorations, and refreshments.

life & style // 16

theotherpress.ca

Stop HIV & hep C now

 How to use a condom Andrea Arscott Senior Columnist

Y

ou get home feeling rather proud of your recent purchase of a box of condoms, but now you’re questioning your ability to use them.

Settling in on the couch, you get out the laptop and start your investigation into proper condom usage. There’s a lot of information out there, and since you’re already exhausted from having to decide which condoms to buy, you watch a video instead of reading through different websites.

After clicking on SmartSexResource.com, you venture to the “condoms” page and click on a link, “how to put on a condom.” You watch an animated penis roll one on. He makes it look so easy: he opens the packet, pinches the tip, and rolls the thing all the way down.

This process seems too simple to believe. You look for some more detailed instructions and discover that you should follow these steps when using a condom: 1. Check that the brand is one that is sold in stores and pharmacies.

2. Check the expiry date.

3. Check that they protect against HIV and other STIs—lambskin and novelty condoms don’t.

4. Make sure they’re made of latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene.

5. Check that they’re lubricated—lubrication prevents friction, which prevents breakage.

6. Visually inspect the condom wrapper for damage.

7. Squeeze the packet to ensure there’s air in it. No air could mean there’s a hole in the packet and a hole in the condom—no protection there.

8. Open the condom from one serrated edge to the other. No need to use your teeth, scissors, hunting knives, safety pins, needles, or razor blades, and if you’re camping, no need to break out the barbecue skewers, marshmallow sticks, or wiener pokers.

9. Remove the condom and blow into it to make sure it’s the right side up. It should look like a sombrero and not a toque.

10. Pinch the tip and place it on the penis. You want to do this when the penis is hard.

11. Roll the condom to the base of the penis. (If the condom doesn’t roll down, you’ve got it the wrong side up. Don’t just flip it over— there could be semen on that side, which means you could put your partner at risk if you’ve got a sexually transmitted infection or HIV. Get a new condom!)

12. To reduce friction, add more water-based lube. Stay

away from oily alternatives, like baby oil, hand cream, or cooking oils. These can cause the materials to break down and can also cause irritation, possibly a yeast infection.

13. Once you’ve completed your love-making session, hold the base of the condom and withdraw from your partner soon after ejaculation.

If you withdraw once you’ve lost your erection, you put your partner at risk because your body fluids could spill out into your partner.

14. Remove the condom away from your lover and place it in the garbage, not the toilet.

15. Never re-use a condom!

You may also want to read the article at NBCNews.com titled “Condom Use 101: Basic Errors are So Common Study Finds.”

According to the article, almost half of both men and women who completed the study failed to pinch the tip.

Stop HIV and hep C now.

Know how to use a condom before sex.

Come down to the Purpose Society testing clinic at 40 Begbie Street in New West the first and third Friday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for anonymous and rapid HIV testing and STI and HCV testing.

We also provide vaccines, free harm reduction supplies, and condoms! You can also get your questions answered by emailing sexyquestions@purposesociety. org

Don’t spank your children

 Disciplinary spanking is ineffective and can harm children psychologically Cynthia Yip The Peak (NUW)

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ere you spanked as a child? In hindsight, do you feel resentment or even humiliation at being treated this way? The answer is likely yes. For these reasons, I am against spanking children.

Spanking one’s children should not be used as a disciplinary method, as it is ineffective and can damage familial relationships.

Having grown up in Hong Kong, I was never spanked by my parents, though I’ve witnessed my uncle use force on my cousins when they would misbehave. The act of spanking has become a Western cultural norm, and this is why

many caregivers see it as an appropriate parenting style, when in fact it is the opposite.

You may be surprised to hear of a Canadian “spanking law” which allows parents and teachers to impose reasonable force to discipline children between the ages of two and 12.

But how does one draw the line between what is reasonable and what is not? Inflicting pain on a child is simply unreasonable, no matter the severity.

Many research findings denounce spanking as an ineffective parenting style, as there are no observable longterm benefits for children.

According to Psychology Today, using this unnecessary force may “erode developmental growth in children and decrease a child’s IQ.” Spanking

also teaches children to fear and show disrespect to their parents, and even to lie so that they may avoid punishment.

While there are parents who actually just intend to teach their children a lesson, sometimes they may use force on a child out of frustration and lack of control over their own temper. In losing control, parents do not solve their problems, but create them by sending children the message that it’s okay to inflict pain on someone when upset.

Furthermore, it’s not only a parent’s duty to raise a child, but to teach that child how to be a parent in the process.

Disciplinary spanking gives children the impression that this is the correct way to act with their future children,

which may in turn make children more aggressive.

Finally, when children are spanked by the very people who protect them, both the child’s self-esteem and the child-parent relationship are damaged. My cousin later told me that these childhood experiences made her feel not only ashamed of herself, but of her parents as well. These thoughts shake the foundation of a relationship, and disrupt the important emotional connection that families are supposed to have.

Believe it or not, there are more effective and appropriate ways to discipline a child. A few of these methods include giving your children a timeout session, rewarding your children when they display

while raising a family, one should never have to resort to violence as a method of discipline good behaviour, and always modelling good behaviour as a parent. These methods are painless, enforce positivity, and will lead parents to positive relationships with their kids.

I understand that it’s not always easy to raise children, but while raising a family, one should never have to resort to violence as a method of discipline. In the end, your child will thank you and I’m sure you’ll thank yourself too.

life & style // 17

issue 08 // volume 41

How to be stereotypically Canadian, eh

 What the rest of the world thinks of us (sorry) Julie Wright Contributor

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ave you ever had someone say you’re not Canadian enough? Perhaps you don’t love hockey or lacrosse, and would rather listen to British folk? Can’t stomach Tim Horton’s coffee and prefer a nice Chilean red wine over standard Canadian beer? If you want to hide your utter lack of Canadian-ness, and prove to naysayers just how true north you are, then refer to this handy article to give you the tips and tricks you need to be painfully stereotypically Canadian.

1. Work either as a lumberjack, hunter, trapper, fisherman, Mountie, or at Tim Horton’s.

2. Wear at least two of these every day: plaid flannel, a toque, a scarf, red and white, something bought from the Bay, work boots, ice skates (to cross a river), or a Mountie uniform.

3. Have a big burly beard.

If a burly beard physically cannot be acquired, wear knit beard for similar aesthetic.

4. Eat at least one of these at every meal: poutine, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, Quebec yellow pea soup, Timbits, beaver tails, Nanaimo bars, or butter tarts.

5. Drink only a 2-4 of Molson, a double-double from Timmies, or a hot cocoa from a hockey arena cafe. Maple syrup-flavoured anything is a plus.

6. Play either lacrosse or hockey. Or both. (If you suck at sports, that’s ok.

You can still be a superfan.)

7. Listen to only Canadian musicians, such as: Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Dean Brody, Michael Bublé, Rush, (some) Carly Rae Jepsen, and the Tragically Hip. (Maybe not Justin Bieber or Nickelback. We don’t talk about them.)

8. Ride an animal found only in Canada to work, like a moose, beaver, polar bear, or orca. Sidenote: if any of these are spotted outside of Canada (not including Alaska), they’re most likely a hologram.

9. Automatically appreciate nature. Nature includes, but is not limited to: mountains, igloos, massive ice sheets, freshwater lakes, vast expanses of forests, the three oceans that Canada is surrounded by, and the seemingly endless prairies.

10. Accept that healthcare is free, and when speaking to people from countries with no free healthcare, apologize for ours every chance you get.

11. Say “eh,” “hoser,” “bogus,” “sorry,” and “aboot” at least five times per sentence. Try saying, “Eh, sorry aboot my hoser friend. It’s bogus that he forgot the Molson.”

12. Realize that our entire population is the size of California’s, get over that fact, and then realize that you probably know at least three people in each province.

L&S Listed: 10 underrated monster jams for Halloween Brittney MacDonald Staff Writer

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usic can set any mood.

So what do you need on your playlist to make sure your Halloween party is spooktacular without being cheesy? If you want your music to get you ready for Halloween, but you’re sick of the old, tried and true “Monster Mash” and “Thriller,” then try out these 10 songs with monster motifs.

1. “Sweet Sweet Heartkiller”

by Say Hi to Your Mom 2. “Dracula’s Wedding” by OutKast 3. “Dragula” by Rob Zombie 4. “Zombie Dance” by The Cramps 5. “Witch Hunt” by Jack Off Jill

6. “Robots” by Flight of the Concords 7. “Furry Happy Monsters” by R.E.M. 8. “Godzilla” by Blue Oyster Cult 9. “I was a Teenage Monster”

by The Keytones 10. “Science Fiction/Double Feature”

by Richard O’Brien

This issue:

Have your voice heard!

 Do you even argue, bro?

Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

 Women are sports fans too

 opinions@theotherpress.ca

 The Olympics that no one wants

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

Proposed changes to copyright will hurt quality of journalism in Canada

 Harper government wants unfettered access to media clips for attack ads Patrick Vaillancourt Senior Columnist

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f you are an avid watcher of Canadian politics, you may be asking yourself: “What happened to all the attack ads against Justin Trudeau?” I was wondering that myself a few days ago, and came across some startling findings.

It seems broadcasters have had enough of the Conservative Party’s attack ads. Not because of the nature of the ads themselves, but rather, because of who owns some of the content prominently featured in those advertisements.

For years, the Conservative advertising machine has demolished successive Liberal leaders. It began with Stéphane Dion, then Michael Ignatieff.

Now, a year away from the next expected federal election, the Conservatives are trailing in the polls and it seems that attack ads meant to steer voters away from Justin Trudeau have failed.

If you believe the polls, Trudeau is poised to lead the Liberals to a historic comeback to the government benches once election night comes to a close.

This has the Conservatives scrambling to find a way to discredit the Liberal leader.

After years of allowing political parties to broadcast attack ads on national airwaves, the major Canadian broadcasters

got together to let all political parties know that they are calling a halt to it, saying they will not air advertisements that feature clips of their own broadcasts for political purposes without the express consent of the copyright holder.

That means, should Trudeau make a gaffe during a CBC interview (as he did with the CF-18 story), the Conservatives would need to get the CBC’s permission to use the media clip in a political ad.

In response, the Harper

Canadian television stations, which own clips and broadcast interviews that are widely used to attack other party leaders in the media? It’s a double standard, which, if passed, will allow a political party to use a clip without consent, develop an ad, and send it right back to the broadcaster they stole from to have it aired nationally. Talk about insult to injury.

As a writer, I’m very passionate about intellectual property, and have an interest in preserving my rights as a producer of content. If I were producing content with the expectation that someone could just take it without my knowledge or authorization, there isn’t much of an incentive for me to produce high-quality writing. Why make the job easier for the thief?

That is exactly what could happen in political punditry.

Fearing that a segment may be used for an attack ad, journalists may stop asking the tough questions we demand answers to from our elected leaders, opting instead to have the safe conversations that couldn’t possibly be featured in a smear campaign. government is planning to These copyright changes change the Copyright Act are more than just legalizing to remove “the need for the theft of intellectual broadcasters to authorize the property; it will lead to a kind use of their news content.” Does of censorship in journalism this the Conservative Party actually country cannot afford to have. want to suggest stealing the intellectual property of

A dying wish unfulfilled  The Ebola virus is just another reason why we should seize the day Margaret Matthews Senior Columnist

T

he first Ebola patient in the United States, 42-yearold Thomas Eric Duncan, died not long after his arrival from Liberia. He had been working there as a driver for a courier company, and had been exposed to the deadly virus.

He tested positive on September 30 and was kept in isolation at a Texas Health

Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, where he was treated with an experimental drug. On October 8, the hospital announced his passing. While three American aid workers and a photojournalist also contracted Ebola while residing in Liberia, they were brought back to the United States and treated with a vaccine, resulting in three recoveries; however, this was not the case for Duncan. Prior to his death, he went to the hospital and was sent home with

antibiotics, which did not cure him. He was then admitted to the hospital and treated with another experimental drug, but did not survive.

No one can predict when it’s time to depart this world.

Does life have to be so cruel and unfair? The Ebola virus has currently taken the lives of over 4,000 people in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. US President Barack Obama said: “[Duncan’s] death showed we don’t have a lot of margin for

error. If we don’t follow protocols and procedures that are put in place, then we’re putting folks in our communities at risk.”

The saddest part of Duncan’s passing was that his life-long wish of seeing his young son—whom he had not seen since the boy was around three years old, when he was taken away to live in the United States—was not fulfilled. He wanted to be at his graduation and be proud of what he had achieved scholastically, but it

was not to be. It took decades for Duncan to obtain his immigration documents and to see his young son again, but when he did arrive in the US he tested positive for Ebola, thus preventing any visitors from visiting him at the hospital.

Circumstances prevented them both from seeing each other. It just wasn’t meant to be.

When it’s time for one to go, there is no asking for an extension of time. There are no two ways about it.

opinions // 19

issue 08 // volume 41

Do you even argue, bro?  Using ad hominem is a jerk thing to do Michael Chmielewski The Carillon

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rguments, as in intellectual debates, are something to be cherished. They should be engaged in actively, especially in a university setting. Of course, there are certain rules of etiquette concerning argumentation. This etiquette is mostly just avoiding “fallacies,” or things that weaken an argument.

One of the most abused fallacies is ad hominem, where rather than dealing with what someone is saying, or the merits of their argument, their personality, or character, is attacked.

In my last three years at university, I’ve noticed that this sort of fallacy is increasing (perhaps I’m just seeing it more). Ad hominem attacks

have been around since people could speak, so they’re nothing new, but it’s no matter if they’re increasing or they’ve always been around—it’s important to qualify something.

These debates usually occur in comment sections or Facebook, because most people aren’t brave enough to insult someone to their face.

The ad hominem I’ve noticed increasing is a kind that’s surprisingly mostly on the left of the spectrum amongst students.

So hardened in their wideeyed beliefs, they usually don’t actually tackle the merit of the argument, usually trying to dismiss it by attacking someone’s character, saying that they know nothing, or that because of their background, their argument is invalid.

Even if the other argument has no merit, it would make

more sense to dismantle the argument, not the person saying it. Otherwise, an attempt at ad hominem is just a distraction method—smoke and mirrors.

Of course, this is a specific group amongst the left, and not everybody—that’d be a generalization, which is also fallacious. I’d also like to point out that the right of the spectrum does it too. Ad hominem is found amongst all kinds of debaters.

Two examples I recently saw: “You can’t understand because you’re a man, and you can’t talk about it,” or “They’re just a bunch of white guys.”

These dismissals could be anything, really, and they’re usually formulaic. You’re X, so you can’t talk about Y. Once, after asking persistent gadflylike questions to someone starting a petition that couldn’t

answer them, I was told, “This is why you don’t have a girlfriend.” It’s baseless, and it’s meant to distract and sidetrack the debate from the real issues.

These sorts of characterizations do no service to their cause: they alienate people and they’re a sign of weak argumentation; if someone is so right, then they shouldn’t have to resort to this tactic. If the opponent is so wrong, then one can attack the merits of their arguments. It doesn’t matter who’s saying it, the strength of an argument shouldn’t hinge on the who, but rather, the what. Also, if someone is so sure that their opponent is wrong because of their character, then it should actually be easy to tear their argument apart without resorting to insults—right?

Don’t ever let someone try to attack your character

in an argument. If you’re so wrong because of who you are, then your opponent should be smart enough to see it in your argument. Otherwise, chances are they can’t defend their point adequately and are trying to discredit you to save themselves the embarrassment.

Also, if you do resort to ad hominem, please stop. You’re doing no service to anybody, and should take more pride in your convictions. Nothing will be gained from attacking someone’s personality, and listening to other people’s points of view may help you to strengthen your own, or even change them. If your arguments are so correct, then you have nothing to worry about.

Plus, beating someone on point of fact is much more satisfying than dragging the debate, and everyone in it, through the mud.

Three years ago, when posting about my religion on Facebook, a friend of mine kept ranting on how I was wrong, why my God didn’t exist, and that I was a part of a group of hateful people. It hasn’t gotten easier from there.

I’m not the only one.

There are people who try to come from a position of love and kindness, partially due to their religion, and have been criticized because of their “imaginary friend.” Members of Sikh temples have come to

the aid of those who needed help, yet are turned away because they are devoted enough to their religion to wear turbans. Instead of receiving a polite decline in a religious conversation, a Mormon elder is disrespected.

It’s easy to see where many anti-religious attitudes come from. There is no secret that groups like the Westboro Baptist Church, the KKK, AlQueda, and ISIS have received justified negative attention. It becomes unjustified when that

negative attention leaks into normal religious groups. Not all Christians are opposed to certain races, sex, and sexual equality, just as not all Muslims are violent extremists.

If you are an atheist or choose not to have a religion, that’s not a problem. But to belittle and bully people because they do have a religion is.

When we coexist instead of fight over religion (or lack of ), we can accomplish truly amazing things.

Have a little faith in me  The modern and negative view on religion Mercedes Deutscher Staff Writer

I

’m a Christian, and no, I’m not out to convert you, tell you that you’re going to hell, or picket funerals. Yet in the case of declaring my religious beliefs, I feel as uneasy as someone who is coming out as homosexual.

Kind of a strange comparison, isn’t it? I fear persecution for being who I am. I’m afraid that my legally protected rights—entrenched

in Section 2b of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms—still won’t protect me from facing rejection from my peers.

There was once a time when it was okay to be religious, as recent as 50 years ago. Times have changed, and religion has been ostracized during an age of social reform.

Don’t mistake me. I’m content that we are living in a mostly equal society that continues to become more inclusive. But what has been sacrificed along the way?

opinions // 20

theotherpress.ca

Women are sports fans too  Men’s Health article results in outrage Mercedes Deutscher Staff Writer

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n October 6, Men’s Health magazine published an article online titled “The Secrets to Talking Sports with Any Woman.” The article, an advice column, spoke about how “she sees the game differently than you [men].” It continued on to mention how “most women don’t care about stats” but instead only care about stories happening within the players lives.

It provoked public outrage from men and women alike, with Twitter users calling the article misogynistic and sexist. In response, Men’s Health issued a public apology and promptly deleted both the article and their tweet promoting it.

While the article may no longer be accessible, its message remains, along with an inaccurate view of female sports fans. It’s common to portray a male sports fan and his friends going wild over touchdowns while eating chicken wings or

pizza, but rarely are women seen as similar sports fans, with maybe a few exceptions from How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory.

Why is this?

My mother and I are avid fans of the BC Lions.

We watch the games, discuss the plays, and talk about the stats. Whenever we attend a football game, there are just as many women in the stadium as there are men. And during the last game we attended, we overheard the women sitting next to us talking about incomplete throws. Most women don’t care about stats? I don’t think so.

Not only is this article and media portrayal of women’s relationship with sports insulting to female fans who pledge so much support to their favourite teams, it’s an insult to women who choose careers surrounding sports.

Many women here at Douglas College are enrolled in sports science programs. Every country that has sent athletes to the Olympics has sent female

athletes, with the United States sending more women than men during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Let’s not forget the women who work behind the game, such as sports reporters, coaches, and general managers.

Megan Greenwell, a senior editor who works for ESPN Magazine, was one of many professionals insulted by the Men’s Health article. On Twitter, she criticized Men’s Health, saying: “hi @ MensHealthMag, you don’t know me, but I run @ ESPNMag’s annual analytics issue. [A] lso, I have a vagina!”

The Olympics that no one wants  Why world-class cities opt out of hosting Elliot Chan Opinions Editor opinions @theotherpress.ca

A

nd then there were two: Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing, People’s Republic of China. How on Earth did this happen? Is it because hosting an Olympic event is such a drain on a country’s economy, or is it because people just don’t care about the Winter Olympics?

When Oslo, Norway—the frontrunner to host the 2022 Olympics—withdrew its bid on October 1, many fans, organizers, and athletes awoke to a realization: the Winter Olympics was just not worth the trouble. For too long, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been the popular girl at prom, but now she might have a profile on Plenty of Fish.

The problem is not necessarily the Olympics’ attractiveness, but rather its high standards. The IOC is demanding, and that was the greatest turn-off for the Norwegians. After all, the committee did send over a

7,000-page handbook and requested alterations of traffic and airport customs just for the officials, in addition to a cocktail party with the Norwegian royal family. Such pompous demands say a lot about the organization’s culture. And it’s not too surprising to see that Norway wanted nothing to do with it.

With that being said, there is prestige from hosting the two-week event. Just look at the result of the 2010 Winter Olympics here in Vancouver, and you’ll see that the event elevated the city into the world-class standard. It put us centre stage and we astounded the world, in addition to proving many skeptics wrong. We can all agree that Vancouver’s infrastructure, traffic, and tourism economy has taken a step in a positive direction since.

The global situation is that not many cities are capable of becoming world-class cities.

Sochi, for example, struggled with the event to the very last moment, and tourism is not exactly flourishing there now. Recessions across many European countries also make the opportunity to host risky.

The most likely event now is that the IOC will select Beijing as the host of the 2022 Olympics—it’s the most reasonable choice. The second possibility is that the committee will offer the opportunity to a country that has proven experience hosting recent large-scale events.

What the committee needs to establish is six to 10 worldclass cities across the globe that can host the Olympics should a newcomer fail to meet the exceptionally high standards. The United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Italy, France, Russia, and whoever else the IOC deems suitable should be added to their little black book.

No doubt having a list of suitable candidates will reduce the status of the IOC, but is that such a bad thing? What’s the alternative? Waiting by the telephone, hoping that a rich country will call? The IOC should know better: the Winter Olympics is not to be compared with the World Cup or the Summer Olympics.

People just don’t need it as much.

To add insult to injury, the article was written by Teresa Sabga, a woman. I’m fairly sure that she, along with female sports professionals and fans alike, cares about the stats. So why write an article putting down women in relation to sports when Sabga herself is a woman

who has sports involved in her everyday life?

It may be true that not all women care for sports, but many of us do. To Sabga and the world, females matter—both on and off of the sidelines.

This issue:

Been told you’re too funny?

 Booze boos

Contact: Sharon Miki, Humour Editor

 Are your emoticons being miscommunicated?

 humour@theotherpress.ca

 Kondos by Kardashians

www.theotherpress.ca

And more!

‘At least it works!’

 TransitLink’s Compass card program abandoned for more reliable navigational instruments Sharon Miki Humour Editor humour @theotherpress.ca

F

ollowing years of delays on their much-touted automated fare card program, aptly named the “Compass Card”—in conjunction with numerous instances of total system failure in 2014—Metro Vancouver’s transportation authority, TransitLink, announced Monday that they basically just give up. Their solution? They’ll be handing out antique compasses to transit users and encouraging them to navigate themselves by foot to their destinations.

“Look, we know that we’ve sucked lately,” explained TransitLink spokesperson Eva Mendes. “We really did try, and all we get are complaints from you people—so fine! We’ve spent $10-million acquiring cool old compasses for you; see if you can do better without us.”

So far, users of the new compass system are praising its surprising reliability.

“My new compass pointed me in the right direction, and I arrived at work when I thought I would, which has literally never happened when I was counting on TransitLink,” said user Elliot Handsome. “And, if they only spent $10-million on the program, that’s like half of what they spent on the never-

used Compass Cards. It sounds like they’ve finally gotten their act together after being truly awful for so long.”

Indeed, TransitLink has had a rough few years. Multiple unexplained and unplanned shutdowns of their automated rapid transit trains in 2014 have left public opinion of the authority somewhat damaged, with frustrated users noting that surprise, hours-long shutdowns left them unable to get home, to work, or to their cat-appreciation club meetings This communal frustration is amplified by multi-year delays in the launch of the $200-million Compass Card system, which was supposed to reduce fare evasion and improve the ease of use of the transit system in general.

“Yes, we initially said that we’d have Compass up for 2008, and then 2010, and then 2012, and then 2013, and then 2014— but who’s counting?” exclaimed Mendes. “Just like the Compass Card, you can’t expect us to be accurate or without error most of the time.”

Not everyone is disappointed in TransitLink’s performance as of late, however.

“I mean, I never pay for the train,” said habitual fare evader Marcus Chasedown. “So it’s actually been nice to not have to deal with gates and stuff.

Thanks, TransitLink! Take your time.”

Angry student complains about the existential hellish period between holidays  ‘When am I supposed to relax?’

Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer

S

econd-year Douglas College student Jordan Stewwart was recently outraged upon looking at the calendar and realizing there were almost three weeks between the holidays in October.

“I can’t believe it. I spend all three days of Thanksgiving getting drunk, eating a lot of sugary and fatty food, and

screwing around with friends.

Then I look at my schedule and I realize I won’t have an excuse to do that again until Halloween! That’s a whole three weeks of class time away!

How am I supposed to last for less than a month of normal academic instruction until then?”

Stewwart’s attempts to coast through the non-holiday season were only further destroyed when he remembered his upcoming midterms were only four days apart. “I’ve got a Psych 1200 midterm this Monday,

and then a Canadian Literature one on Friday,” Stewwart complained to the Other Press in an online interview via Facebook.

Asked if he had anything to look forward to between then and Halloween, he said “Well, on Saturday I’m going to a party. I’m going to eat a lot of pizza and doughnuts and get really drunk, but it won’t be, you know, spooky like on Halloween! Do you know I have to work three shifts this week?

How am I supposed to handle eight hours of class and 12 hours

of retail work in one week?

When do we have time to be kids?” Incidentally, Stewwart recently celebrated his 24th birthday.

Stewwart was equally upset looking at the calendar going forward, after realizing the next holiday wouldn’t occur until a week and a half into November.

“That’s six full days of school!

I’m going to have to attend class for at least four of those! Cut a guy a break, huh? How long until the semester is over?”

Reading the calendar further, his complaining grew to levels

that were only moderately annoying. “December 4? That’s a whole month! I don’t even want to think about how many weeks that is!”

At press time, Stewwart was spotted in a bar complaining to anyone willing to listen. His bitterness at having to work a reasonable amount is matched only by students who have much more to do than him.

Specifically, three midterms, an essay, four shifts at Starbucks, and three articles due for the college newspaper.

humour // 22

theotherpress.ca

Booze boos

 A drinking game perfect for that Halloween pub crawl

By Brittney MacDonald, Staff Writer 1. Take a drink for every sexy cat you see.

2. Take a drink every time your childhood is ruined.

3. Take a drink for every person you see who’s just too cool to wear a costume.

4. Take a drink for every cop you see.

5. Take a drink for all the people that copped out and just bought a rubber mask or an animal-ear headband to go with their regular clothes.

6. Take a drink for every zombie.

7. Take a drink every time you see someone taking a selfie.

8. Take a drink every time you see someone half-naked and freezing their ass off.

9. Take a drink anytime you see someone sitting on the curb.

10. Take a drink for every superhero or heroine you see.

11. Take a drink for every Orange is the

New Black or Breaking Bad costume.

12. Take a shot every time a tourist asks you what’s going on.

13. Take a shot for every inappropriate “couples costume”—e.g. Luke and Leia (make it a double if they’re making out).

14. Take a shot for every couple you see fighting.

15. Take a shot for every pad wagon you see.

16. Take a shot every time you see a girl carrying her shoes.

17. Take a shot for every guy dressed as a woman.

18. Take a shot for anyone dressed as an Apple product (make it a double if it references Bendgate 2014).

19. Take a shot for any “social media”-inspired costumes.

20. Take a shot for anyone you see who’s too drunk to function before 10 p.m.

21. Take a shot every time you’re confused as to what someone’s supposed to be, then ask them, and if you’re still confused buy them a shot.

22. Ladies, take a shot every time an overtly drunk man hits on you.

Then walk away, avoiding the walk of shame and mysterious diseases.

23. Gents, take a shot every time an overtly drunk woman hits on you. Then walk away, avoiding the awkward morning after filled with hangover and regret.

24. Chug a beer every time someone tells you they had fantasies about the character you’re dressed up as—sexy fantasies.

25. Chug a beer for every police takedown.

26. Chug a beer for any “punny” costumes.

27. Chug a beer every time you see someone dressed as anything culturally

insensitive. Then continue drinking beer every time you see them, until you’re drunk enough to go give them a Drunk History-style lecture about respect.

28. Chug a beer every time you see two people in the same store-bought costume, in the same room.

humour // 23

issue 08 // volume 41

Are your emoticons being miscommunicated?  Shapes and numbers may be ruining your relationships Angela Espinoza News Editor news @theotherpress.ca

I

n an age where people are finding more opportunities to use fewer words, emoticons have triumphed as the millennial alphabet. But as young adults are finding basic communication more difficult—even daunting— could our emoticons become lost in translation as well?

Douglas College student Mina Bellingham, a first-year in the Communications program, felt emoticons have provided easier ways to avoid answering difficult questions. “On my last quiz, our professor asked us to write a paragraph on the societal effects of advertising,” said Bellingham. “I’ve never thought about advertising before, and I wasn’t going to start now, so I just put a ‘sad face.’”

When Bellingham received her quiz back, she was neither surprised nor disappointed

by her lack of a grade. “I’m not going to pretend like I tried, but I certainly tried to try, or I wouldn’t have written anything.”

Another Douglas student, Greg Ferdinand, had stronger opinions on the use of emoticons when tackling serious subjects.

“There’s this girl in my computer science class I was getting along with, so we traded numbers,” said Ferdinand. “We’ve been hanging out a lot the last couple of weeks, so the other day I texted her to see if she wanted to go on an actual date.”

Ferdinand was not emotionally prepared for the emoticon he received.

“All she sent was a ‘winky face,’” Ferdinand said. “Not a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ or even a ‘maybe.’

Just a semicolon next to an end-bracket.” Ferdinand remained silent for a moment and shook his head. “It was such a straightforward question.”

Ferdinand, who is set to graduate from his Computer

Science and Information Systems program in April 2015, felt traumatized by the experience. “I want to be a programmer; I work with keyboard keys like semicolons and brackets everyday. How can I look at those keys the same way now?”

When I asked Bellingham and Ferdinand their opinions of “heart” emoticons, their views once again differed.

“I love sending ‘hearts,’” said Bellingham. “They’re a great way to say ‘love’ in half the letters—albeit with more numbers and math symbols.”

Ferdinand however, perhaps more bitter by the end of our interview, had harsher opinions on the usage of a less-than symbol next to the number three.

“People today just throw ‘hearts’ around,” said Ferdinand. “Things aren’t like they were 10 years ago; it used to be when you wrote, ‘I less-than-three you,’ it meant something. Now people just type that about anything.”

HUMANS OF NEW WEST

“These bricks are really symbolic. They make me think about… construction.”